How often do Cathay update their prices
Jun 21, 2025 | 2:59 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 611
How often do Cathay update their prices
We are looking at flying Man to BKK on the 10th Jan, Looking at the prices for that time of year are offering good value for money , But noticed that the price of flights either side to the 10th are cheaper and i just wondered if the price of flight on the Saturday will reduce any more . Maybe some people in the forum have a good understanding of Cathay price movements , Looking in November you can pick up a Saturday return flight for 680, So maybe waiting 4 months to book the price might be worthwhile since they say that's the best time to book a cheap flight. BTW , I have never flown Cathay and even though its a long flight, it has just been voted No 1 in Economy so it must be good
Jun 21, 2025 | 5:17 am
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Hong Kong, France
Programs: FB , BA Gold/OW emerald, QR
Posts: 17,063
Like other airlines, CX uses a sophisticated yield management system that relies on all kinds of parameters and is dynamically updated. Faraway prices rely mostly on forecasts of loads based on historical data. November and January are very different in terms of travel patterns, especially with holidays, and day-of-the-week patterns are only one of the parameters that can influence loads.
The short answer is that no one knows, but it is unlikely that fares for your preferred date will drop.
The short answer is that no one knows, but it is unlikely that fares for your preferred date will drop.
Jun 21, 2025 | 6:37 am
#4
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Land of Oz
Posts: 1,055
We booked J from Australia to Vietnam in November for July (Australian school holidays)
We got what we believed to be a great price, wife wanted to wait a while to book, I didn't, we literally grabbed the last tickets in that fare bucket and they went up by the equivalent of 1200USD for both of us overnight and only got higher from that point.
If you see a good price now and wait just to save what could literally be 50 quid I think it could work against you.
If you like the price buy it now.
We got what we believed to be a great price, wife wanted to wait a while to book, I didn't, we literally grabbed the last tickets in that fare bucket and they went up by the equivalent of 1200USD for both of us overnight and only got higher from that point.
If you see a good price now and wait just to save what could literally be 50 quid I think it could work against you.
If you like the price buy it now.
Jun 21, 2025 | 7:20 am
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 611
We booked J from Australia to Vietnam in November for July (Australian school holidays)
We got what we believed to be a great price, wife wanted to wait a while to book, I didn't, we literally grabbed the last tickets in that fare bucket and they went up by the equivalent of 1200USD for both of us overnight and only got higher from that point.
If you see a good price now and wait just to save what could literally be 50 quid I think it could work against you.
If you like the price buy it now.
We got what we believed to be a great price, wife wanted to wait a while to book, I didn't, we literally grabbed the last tickets in that fare bucket and they went up by the equivalent of 1200USD for both of us overnight and only got higher from that point.
If you see a good price now and wait just to save what could literally be 50 quid I think it could work against you.
If you like the price buy it now.
Jun 21, 2025 | 9:38 pm
#6
Join Date: Jan 2017
Programs: CX GO, IHG Dia Amb
Posts: 830
Thank you for your reply, The price from Manchester to BKK is a great price and the timings are perfect, My wife is concerned about been stuck on a plane for so long, I think it can be 15 hours on the return and she is wanting to go with Emirates, The A380 is a good product , But i do prefer the A350. Regards the pricing , Its a long more expensive if you just do the Man to HK which doesn't make business sense. I have signed up with Cathay for any offers , I cam get cheaper by using a on line travel agent , but prefer booking direct
Jun 22, 2025 | 4:21 am
#7
Join Date: Mar 2024
Posts: 248
This can truly can be an exercise in frustration. I was recently looking at CX prices for HK-SIN economy roundtrip and it went from HK$2,100 to HK$2,700 back down to HK$2,000 within 1 week (for the exact same flights on the exact same dates). I guess the lesson is if you see a price you are happy with, just book it. Or wait and risk it.
Jun 22, 2025 | 9:23 am
#8
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 787
Cathay sometimes runs ex-U.K. promotions which while not spectacular might reduce the price - there was one recently for two people booked together on the sort of U.K.-H.K.-Asia itinerary you have. As the above posters said, though, the price you mention is pretty competitive for ex-MAN and the longer you wait the more risk it will go up though could go down.
Personally ex-MAN I'd also suggest considering Singapore Airlines and Turkish (and of course many Brits seem to favour Emirates), but each to their own.
Personally ex-MAN I'd also suggest considering Singapore Airlines and Turkish (and of course many Brits seem to favour Emirates), but each to their own.
Jun 22, 2025 | 11:58 pm
#10
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 611
With Cathay 24 hour cancellation policy if you meet the criteria, does this not lead to people cancelling if the price drops ? I have already bought annual travel insurance just in case I have to cancel the flight, but if Cathay offers a 24 hour cancellation policy, then I could have delayed getting my travel insurance
Jun 23, 2025 | 7:08 am
#11
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Switzerland
Posts: 2,790
With Cathay 24 hour cancellation policy if you meet the criteria, does this not lead to people cancelling if the price drops ? I have already bought annual travel insurance just in case I have to cancel the flight, but if Cathay offers a 24 hour cancellation policy, then I could have delayed getting my travel insurance
Let's say the price on day 1 is 500, then on day 2 it's 510. Do you cancel and rebook? Unlikely. Then on day 3 it's 450. Whoops! Too late.
Or on day 1 it's 500, day 2 it's 500 (and so on until day 10). Do you cancel and rebook 10 times?
(I may have thought about this previously 😁 )
Jun 23, 2025 | 7:51 am
#12
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 611
Too difficult.
Let's say the price on day 1 is 500, then on day 2 it's 510. Do you cancel and rebook? Unlikely. Then on day 3 it's 450. Whoops! Too late.
Or on day 1 it's 500, day 2 it's 500 (and so on until day 10). Do you cancel and rebook 10 times?
(I may have thought about this previously 😁 )
Let's say the price on day 1 is 500, then on day 2 it's 510. Do you cancel and rebook? Unlikely. Then on day 3 it's 450. Whoops! Too late.
Or on day 1 it's 500, day 2 it's 500 (and so on until day 10). Do you cancel and rebook 10 times?
(I may have thought about this previously 😁 )
Jun 23, 2025 | 10:19 am
#13
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Switzerland
Posts: 2,790
Jun 23, 2025 | 3:20 pm
#14
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 611
I finally booked the flights and went for the light price regards earning avios, your unable to get avios from Qatar but you can from BA. Looking forward to the flight.
Check out the avios conditions on the links that Cathay provided me . I have to say the people looking after the twitter messages are very helpful and gave me a lot of information
https://www.britishairways.com/conte...-avios/flights
https://www.qatarairways.com/en/Priv...#poi-tab-QOYUS
Check out the avios conditions on the links that Cathay provided me . I have to say the people looking after the twitter messages are very helpful and gave me a lot of information
https://www.britishairways.com/conte...-avios/flights
https://www.qatarairways.com/en/Priv...#poi-tab-QOYUS
Last edited by malct; Jun 24, 2025 at 3:43 am